International Profile

Arrive curious. Graduate prepared.

LOCATION

Aurora, New York—On the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake in New York State’s Finger Lakes resort region, the Wells College campus sits on more than 300 acres in an area known for its high concentration of prestigious schools and abundant outdoor recreational opportunities. Wells is named in leading college guides as one of the most beautiful campuses in the nation.

AT A GLANCE

Type of School: Wells College is a nationally recognized private liberal arts college located in upstate New York. Founded in 1868, Wells provides an academically rigorous and relationship-based educational experience strengthened by the College’s emphasis on community, the residential atmosphere, and dedication to hands-on learning. The mission of Wells College is to teach students to think critically, reason wisely, and act humanely as they cultivate meaningful lives.

Size of Campus: More than 300 acres

Number of Students: 500 students from across the United States and several foreign countries attend Wells. The student-faculty ratio is 10:1. The average class size is 12 students.

Number of Faculty: 62; 73% of faculty members have a doctorate or terminal degree in their field.

Pre-professional StudiesBusiness, Education (Elementary and Secondary certification), Engineering, Health Professions, and Law; more than half of Wells graduates choose to attend graduate or professional school.

Financial Aid: 98% of Wells students receive financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study. The cost of a Wells education is very competitive with the cost of most comparable schools. Generous scholarship awards are available for international students.

Test Score Requirements: SAT and ACT scores are not required for admission to Wells College. International students are required to submit English-language proficiency test scores. We accept TOEFL (80 or higher), IELTS (6.0 or higher), or PTE Academic (55 or higher). For international students with SAT scores higher than 810 on the old SAT Critical Reading and Writing sections or 620 on the new SAT exam, the English proficiency test requirement will be waived.

Application Deadlines and Fees: To be considered for admission to Wells, you must submit your completed application to the Wells College Admissions Office by one of the deadline options noted below.

Early Decision December 15: Students whose first choice is Wells are encouraged to apply under the Early Decision option. This is a binding admission option. If admitted, Early Decision applicants agree to accept Wells’s offer of admission and agree to withdraw their applications to all other colleges. Students receive Early Decision notification by January 15.

Early ActionDecember 15: Students who would like to receive an early review of their application files are encouraged to apply under the Early Action option. This is a non-binding admission option. Students receive notification of admission decisions by February 1.

Regular AdmissionMarch 1: All other applications to the College should be received by the regular admission deadline. Applications are reviewed after this date, and decisions are mailed by April 1.

Reputation for excellenceWithin the past decade, Wells College ranked in the top 100 colleges in the nation by Forbes magazine, and also ranked 25th for “best value” in U.S. News & World Report’s list of the 40 top liberal arts institutions. Its seminar-style classes are similar to a graduate school environment.

The faculty members at Wells are not only outstanding educators but also recognized and active scholars in their fields. Seventy-three percent of faculty hold a terminal degree from myriad institutions, including Harvard, Columbia, University of California at Berkeley, Brown, Cornell, Art Institute of Chicago, and Rutgers. As a direct result of small class sizes and the quality of faculty, students at Wells have the extraordinary opportunity to work side by side with professors on original research projects as soon as their first year.

All academic majors award credit for research. Students may select an individual topic or join a research team. Opportunities range from theatre production and art exhibitions to participating in research with faculty and traveling to present at national conferences or learning how to start your own business through our Center for Business and Entrepreneurship.

Experiential learningWells takes a cutting-edge approach to higher education by incorporating hands-on experience as part of every student’s core curriculum, regardless of major. Course materials are tied directly to career development through internships, off-campus study, research, and community service.

By graduation, 100% of seniors will have completed at least one internship. Recently students have interned with Bank of New York (NewYork City), British Parliament (London), CNBC (Washington, DC), City Hall of the 13th District (Paris), Fidelity Investments (Boston), Hollings Marine Laboratory (South Carolina), Parker School (Hawaii), Smithsonian Institute (DC), Upstate Medical Center (Syracuse, New York), the West African Research Center (Senegal), and many others.

Wells also offers off-campus study affiliations locally with Cornell University and Ithaca College.